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8A Parnell Road, Harold’s Cross, Dublin 12 Asking price: €695,000 Agent: DNG Terenure, (01) 490 9000 There are a number theories as to how Harold’s Cross got its name. The south Dublin suburb was, in fact, an execution ground until the 18th century, and one belief is that it was named after a memorial cross which stands in Harold’s Cross Park, the site of the gallows. Gallows in Medieval times were, however, primarily used to support weighing scales for markets and to collect tolls – which makes sense given that Harold’s Cross was a key entry point to the city of Dublin.
Read more In the 14th century, the gallows there was maintained by the Archbishop of Dublin. Another theory suggests the name comes from a cross that marked the boundary of the archbishop’s land, and warned “the Harolds” – the wild guardians of the border of the Pale near Whitechurch in Rathfarnham, not to encroach on the land. Whatever the source of its name, Harold’s Cross, like many parts of Dublin, has changed considerably in recent years.
“In the last five years, there have been new buildings springing up, an influx of different nationalities and a number of hipster coffee shops,” says Éamonn Kennedy, the owner of 8A Parnell Road, a Victorian end-of-terrace house built in 1898, which fronts onto the Grand Canal. The exterior of the property on Parnell Road in Harold's Cross Kennedy, who works in tech and comes from nearby Kimmage, bought the four bedroom end-of-terrace house with his partner, Diane Butler, a goldsmith from Killiney, in 2017. “We were living in another house in Harold’s Cross at the time, but we wanted more space because of our son Sé, who’s now nine years old,” he says.
“This house appealed to us immediately because of its high ceilings and the long front garden.” “In theory, we loved it when we came to view it,” adds Butler. “We liked the layout and the feel of the house, but it wasn’t a home by any means.
” The hallway Number 8A was previously rented to tenants and there were five people living in it. It was in serious disrepair. “There wasn’t even a kitchen in the house.
There was a microwave sitting above the bathroom sink when we first bought it!” adds Butler. Despite these issues, the couple could see its potential and set to work transforming the 1,077 sq ft home. Before moving in, they painted all the walls, added new doors, new windows and new floors throughout.
They also knocked down two walls on the ground floor to create an open-plan kitchen/dining/living room. The hall, which has laminate flooring and panelling along the walls, has two doors leading to this space. The open plan living/kitchen/dining room The sitting room retains an old-fashioned feel.
The ceilings, which have original coving, were already high – a feature of the period – but in an unusual move, they sought to make them even higher by lowering the floor. “It makes the room more spacious and adds character,” says Kennedy. The fireplace is white with a mirror hanging over it.
Here, they installed a Victorian cast iron fireplace, sourced from three different manufacturers. “It took some effort to find and put together, but we wanted it to suit the period of the house,” says Butler, who favours a mix of vintage and modern furniture. “I’ve got 1960s leather armchairs and a couple of mid-century pieces from my family home, for example.
” The period fireplace Terraced houses are often dark, but there is a side window in the living room, as the property is end-of-terrace. “There’s a lovely view of Griffith College and the greenery surrounding it from the sitting room window too,” adds Kennedy. The kitchen has a grey laminate floor, pine units and a grey tiled splashback.
Here, there are glass double doors leading to the south-facing back garden. “When we moved in, the back garden was like a building site. It was covered in broken stone and had three different levels.
They took away three tonnes of rubble when they landscaped it,” Butler says. The back garden After the garden was levelled, the couple added flower beds, a trellis along the back wall and lawn, and made a patio area with garden furniture, which they use when the weather is good. “We sometimes entertain there, and our son Sé likes to play in the back garden when he has friends over,” she adds.
Upstairs, a new bathroom with blue and white decor, was installed five years ago. Although it’s a four-bedroom house, one of the single rooms is currently used as an office and another is as a dressing room. The other two bedrooms are double.
One of the four bedrooms The couple have also created a driveway which fits two cars at the front of the building, but they’ve left enough space for a front garden with a lawn. Both Kennedy and Butler have lived for years in Harold’s Cross. “I’ve never wanted to live anywhere else because it’s so well positioned and handy for accessing amenities.
The walk along the canal into town is lovely and we have two parks nearby where we walk our dog, a Boxer called Joe,” says Butler. “There’s a strong sense of community and a good mixture of people here,” he adds. “There’s also a bunch of really nice cafes and restaurants.
You’re right in the middle of everything.” The dining room In fact, they’re only selling as a house with a studio attached to it has come up around the corner, which will allow Butler to work from home. “It won’t be easy to say goodbye to the house,” she says.
“We have lots of beautiful memories of living here. It’s where our son started walking and talking, and I remember him helping us to plant the garden.” “We’ve poured our heart into doing it up so we’re 100pc feeling sad about leaving,” adds Kennedy.
“It would, however, make the perfect home for another family.” 8A Parnell Road has an asking price of €695,000 with DNG Terenure. Read more.
